Long‐term changes in total and extreme precipitation over China and the United States and their links to oceanic–atmospheric features

by

Wang, Fang, Yang, Song, Higgins, Wayne, Li, Qiaoping, Zuo, Zhiyan

,

International Journal of Climatology

Investigates the variations of total and extreme precipitations over China and the United States, focusing on long-term changes

Explains the features of precipitation by changes in sea surface temperature (SST) and atmospheric circulation

Finds that features of total precipitation and the ratio of extreme to total precipitation are different between China and the United States, and differences occur in both annual and seasonal means

Finds that:

In China:

The total precipitation and the precipitation ratio show large seasonal and regional variations

China's annual total precipitation changes insignificantly and the ratio shows only a slight positive trend

The ratio exhibits positive trends in all seasons

Total precipitation shows small positive trends except a negative trend in fall

The change in China precipitation ratio has a strong link to SSTs around the Indian Ocean and the South and East China Seas

In the US:

The total precipitation and the precipitation ratio change modestly over the United States

The US annual total precipitation increases significantly, although the ratio decreases moderately

Total precipitation increases remarkably in all seasons except winter when a slight decrease occurs

The ratio decreases in winter and summer but increases in spring and fall

The change in US total precipitation is associated with changes in the Indian Ocean and eastern Pacific SSTs

Finds that the trends of US total precipitation and China precipitation ratio are also linked to the long-term changes in atmospheric circulation including the trade wind, the North Pacific anticyclone, and the circulation patterns over Asia

Finds that in most cases, the total and extreme precipitations are associated with similar SST and atmospheric patterns, except in China where the annual extreme precipitation is associated with SST and circulation features as is the precipitation ratio